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Inhalants By. Deanna Williams & Rahul Chapagain What are inhalants? A solvent or other material producing vapor inhaled by drug abusers. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Some common street names are: Laughing gas (nitrous oxide), snappers (amyl nitrite), poppers (amyl nitrite & butyl nitrite), whippets (fluorinated hydrocarbons), bold (nitrites), and rush (nitrites). Types of Inhalants: Volatile solvents—liquids that vaporize at room temperature. (Paint thinners/removers, gasoline, lighter fluid, felt-tip marker fluid, glue). Aerosols—sprays that contain propellants and solvents. (Spray paint, hair spray, spray-on deodorant, aerosol computer cleaning products, vegetable oil sprays). Gases—found in household or commercial products and used as medical anesthetics. (Butane lighters/propane tanks, whipped cream aerosols or dispensers, ether, chloroform, halothane, nitrous oxide). Nitrites—used primarily as sexual enhancers. (cyclohexl, butyl, amyl nitrites [A.K.A “poppers”]) When marketed for illicit use, organic nitrites are often sold in small brown bottles labeled as “video head cleaner,” “room odorizer,” “leather cleaner,” or “liquid aroma.” Ways Inhalants Are Used: •Abusers of inhalants breathe them in through the nose or mouth in various ways. This is known as “huffing”. •Sniff or snort fumes from a dispenser or container, such as a glue bottle or a marking pen. •Spray aerosol cans (such as computer dusters) directly into their mouth or nose. •Place a chemical-soaked rag in their mouth and nose. (ex: chloroform-soaked rags) •Inhale fumes from a balloon or plastic/paper bag. •Because the high produced by inhalants usually lasts a few minutes, abusers try to prolong it by continuing to inhale repeatedly over several hours. •New users ages 12–15 most commonly abuse glue, shoe polish, spray paints, gasoline, and lighter fluid. New users ages 16–17 most commonly abuse nitrous oxide or “whippets.” Adults most commonly abuse a class of inhalants known as nitrites. Side Effects: Long Term •Muscle weakness •Disorientation •Lack of coordination •Irritability •Depression •Serious and sometimes irreversible damage to your brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs. •Memory impairment, diminished intelligence •Hearing loss •Bone marrow damage Short Term •Slurred speech •Drunk, dizzy, or dazed appearance •Inability to coordinate movement •Hallucinations and delusions •Hostility •Apathy •Impaired judgment •Unconsciousness •Severe headaches •Rashes around the nose and mouth Effects Towards Your Brain: Vapors from inhalants are absorbed through the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and travel to the brain. Irreversible physical and mental changes can occur because the inhalants reach the brain faster and with stronger force than many other substances. Possible effects include: •Memory loss •Difficulty concentrating •Visual problems or blindness •Nerve damage “Sudden Sniffing Death”: “Sudden Sniffing Death” occurs from heart failure due to a young person being introduced to inhalants. •Inhalants can kill a person the first time they try it. •Chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can be fatal within minutes after repeatedly inhaling the substances. Effects Towards Your Lungs: Blood oxygen depletion results from varnish removers and paint thinners. Air in the lungs become displaced by inhalants. Possible effects include: •Death, which can result from suffocation. •Losing consciousness and possibly stop breathing from high concentrations of inhalants in the lungs . •People who inhale chemicals from paper/plastic bags in a closed area risk suffocation. •Liver and kidney risk permanent damage from inhalants. •Bone marrow damage can result from inhaling gasoline. •Inhaling glues, gasoline, gas cylinders, and whipped cream dispensers can lead to peripheral damage or limb spasms. What If You Witness Someone Huffing: •Remain clam and seek help. •Agitation may cause the “huffer” to become violent , experience hallucinations, or suffer heart dysfunction. Do not excite or argue with the abuser when they are under the influence, as they can become aggressive or violent. Bring them to a well-ventilated room, if possible. •Activity or stress may lead to “Sudden Sniffing Death”. •Talk with other persons present or check the area for clues to see what was used. •Call EMS. If the person is not breathing, administer CPR. •Once the person is recovered, seek professional help for the abuser: school nurse, counselor, physician, other health care worker. •If use is suspected, you or an adult should be frank but not accusatory in a discussion with a family member or a friend about potential inhalant use. Works Cited • • • • • • • "10032_001-final.jpg." UVA Health: University of Virginia's World-class Care. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://uvahealth.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2011/09/10032_001-final-269x300.jpg>. "5956335.jpg." Drugaware.weebly.com. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://drugaware.weebly.com/uploads/7/0/5/0/7050470/5956335.jpg>. "DrugFacts: Inhalants." Inhalants. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/inhalants>. "Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <https://www.google.com/search?num=10>. "Google Images." Google Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.images.google.com/>. "Heroin_powder1.jpg." 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